Standing in the back of the team meeting room in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center last week as he awaited his introductory news conference, Taver Johnson found his eyes wandering up and down the walls as he attempted to add up everything that's different about the building with which he was once so familiar.

The walls are now filled with inspirational quotes and Urban Meyer's mantras — “4-to-6, A-to-B” and “competitive excellence” and “power of the unit” — and there's a wooden lectern with the red “Block O” perfectly carved into the middle that faces a sea of black leather seats with the Ohio State logo sewn into the backrests.

“Really different,” Johnson said. “It feels brand new.”

Six years is an eternity in the current world of college football where renovations to facilities are never-ending, but the newly updated walls of the Woody are just a reminder that this place isn't what it was when Johnson was a defensive assistant for Jim Tressel from 2007-11. Imagine what Johnson thought when he saw the waterfall in the locker room.

SALE: Free trial and 30% off

Try The Athletic free for a week to get access to this article and more smart, in-depth coverage. Read and support quality journalism with this limited-time offer.